


Secrets Untold

by Firstlove_thesea



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom - A. C. Crispin
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2019-10-04 23:52:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17314148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firstlove_thesea/pseuds/Firstlove_thesea
Summary: After a night spent with the Captain he had just helped to justice, Sparrow's world is turned upside down and he soon finds himself on a roller coaster ride of emotions. With no one to turn to, the 20-year-old pirate embarks on a journey full of unexpected revelations.





	1. Chapter 1

The second gathering of the Brethren Court in just a couple of days had just ended, Jones had disappeared back into the world beyond and the rest of those assembled on deck of the  _Troubadour_  to witness had begun making their way either back ashore or to their own ships. Though, regardless of where they were headed, everyone remained silent as if dazed by the very events of the past few hours or so.

Heavy storm clouds that seemed to have accompanied the Captain of the Flying Dutchman were slowly clearing, once again revealing the bright sun that usuallyshone over Shipwreck Cove even in the later hours of afternoon.

 _Terribly unfortunate,_  Jack noted in his mind.  _Just as I'd gotten used to the fresher breeze._

Among those still present at the pier were a young pirate, no older than twenty years of age, and his female companion of, at least partially, Spanish origin. 

 _"_ Congratulations to your new ship, Captain."

It was the voice of no one other than Esmeralda addressing the Irish Captain as he walked past that brought Jack back to reality.

"Thankee kindly, missy" Barbossa replied, offering her a hint of a smile before turning to the man who stood at her side. "I suppose it is you, especially, to whom I should be grateful."

"Just a coincidence, really." Jack responded with a shrug. "merely happened to be at the right place at the right time."

"Be that as it may, if it weren't for ye, I would not be able to call meself a captain. I know when rewards are in order so be at me vessel tonight to be collecting yers."

"Rewards? Captain Barbossa, I can assure you that won't-" 

"Oh, but I insist, lad."

"I'll be seeing you at your vessel tonight, then." Jack nodded. He had tried to decline, but if the other still insisted who was he to deny his offer?

With an approving nod of his head Barbossa then left the pier and was headed back into the city.

"That was odd." Esmeralda pointed out as they watched the man depart. "Grateful or not, I wouldn't have taken him as someone to give out rewards just like that."

"Agreed. But I am a pirate and as such I'd hardly say no to a piece of treasure." he replied with a grin across his face as he looked at her. "Savvy?" 

"So you are going?" 

"Of course." he nodded. "Wouldn't pass up the chance, love"

Indeed, young Jack Sparrow did not pass up the chance to get his hands on a piece of gold and, hence, later that night, he found himself climbing up the gangplank to Barbossa’s new vessel.

Allowing his eyes to wander in the dim light of the torches as he did so, he decided that while, yes, it was quite respectable ship, it wasn't one he'd be terribly proud of. Then again she was, without a doubt, still better than having no vessel to captain at all.

"Didn't know we was taking on visitors." a voice suddenly coming from beside him pulled him out of his thoughts and nearly caused him to jump in surprise. "What are you doing aboard here, mate?" 

"I..." Sparrow began, nervous shifting his weight from side to another when he became aware of the body that went with the voice. For while no threat was to be expected from the man - or rather boy - with the wooden eye, Jack found something about him terribly unsettling. 

"Captain Barbossa’s expecting me." he said after a while when the silence between them began to grow awkward. 

"Oh, is he?"

"Aye," Sparrow nodded. "From what I hear tale of Captain Barbossa, he's not one who likes to be kept waiting."

"He really doesn't like that," the young man nodded with a giggle.

"I figured that much."

Knowing the face looked familiar, Sparrow had meanwhile searched his mind for a name and it was only in that moment that he could identify him as Ragetti. One of the few surviving members of the Cobra's crew, and not the brightest - as he'd figured. 

"Master Ragetti," he addressed him then, causing an expression of utter confusion to appear on his face. "Will you allow me to pass, then? Or would you rather explain to your captain as to why I'm late?"

Sparrow swore he could see him think, could practically hear his brain rattle as he was trying to come up with an answer. ' _Bloody genius_ ' he frowned.

Without bothering to wait for his response, Jack then pushed past him and went ahead, knocking at the door to the captain's cabin. After closing it shut behind him, that was where he remained standing while dark eyes fell upon the man he was supposed to meet.

"My most sincere apologies, Captain." Jack said, stepping in once permission had been granted. "That hu-.... I mean.... Master Ragetti wouldn't let me through and it took some time for me to convince him that he should."

Glancing out of the window facing out at the harbor, Barbossa had his back turned on him, thus giving him the chance to take a closer look in secret. As Sparrow had noticed before, he was quite a tall fellow with quite broad shoulders and red locks almost reaching down to them. On their first meeting already, as he had listened to the story told to the Pirate Lord's, he'd noticed something deeply intriguing about the red-haired man, to Jack anyway. And with the smile offered to him as the Irish pirate turned, he found himself only encouraged in that thought. 'Could almost call him handsome' he decided in his mind.

"Just in time, Sparrow." he said, the usual growl present in his voice. "Please, have a seat."

"Thank you, Captain Barbossa." He nodded as he did as he was told.

As the man crossed from the window over to the heavy desk, something came to mind and he seemed to pause in his tracks.

"Once again, thankee kindly for the part you've played in getting those rouges to justice for sinking me Cobra." he said as he took his seat across from Sparrow.

"I merely did what I could to help a fellow pirate to a new vessel." the younger man waved him off.

"Aye, ye did and a proper reward be called for."

At the mention of the reward, Jack could feel excitement rise and his eyes grew wide in curiosity.

"First I wanted to hand ye a nice and valuable piece of shining of yer choice, but then I thought, if what's said about ye be true, you'd far more appreciate something else."

The younger pirate's brow rose, this time in confusion and slight concern instead of curiosity. That did not go unnoticed by Hector, for he laughed.

"So instead, there's a proposal I'd like put to ye."

"Proposal?" he asked.

"Aye." the Captain nodded. "Life in a place such as this, cut off from the sea, can be quite boring for a lad such as yerself - as I imagine."

"Well, ye-" 

"I be offering ye a way out." he said, blue eyes carefully watching his guest. "Me crew is still short a man or two and ye seem a decent enough sailor to be serving under me command."

"What? Me? Sailing aboard your vessel?" Sparrow asked, but while his face remained more or less in check, there was no denying the excitement sparkling in his eyes as his mind wrapped around the idea. "Captain Barbossa, that's an offer far too generous to decline.

"Be taking that as a 'yes', then" Barbossa chuckled.

"Aye. Will gladly join your crew next time you make sail.

"Welcome aboard then, Master Sparrow."

"Thank you, Captain Barbossa."

As a grin finally brightened up Sparrow's features, blue eyes were studying him silently and closely, wondering just how far the lad might be willing to go... 

"We expect to be making sail by the end of the week at the latest." the Captain then announced. "In the meantime, though, would ye like some rum to seal our accord?"

Unable to turn down a chance to have some rum, Sparrow nodded and then watched as the other produced two glasses and a large bottle out of the bottom drawer of his desk and poured them each a drink.

"Help yerself, lad" he said as he handed one of them over to Jack.

Quite happily, he took the glass offered to him and uttering another 'thank you', he downed the first drink of that night. Barbossa did the same and after countless more drinks to follow, Sparrow could undeniably feel the sweet, intoxicating rum had taken to his head. Neither of them could tell how many hours later the bottle had been emptied, but now that it was, they were both dead drunk.

"I'd best be going" Sparrow declared at some point, voice considerably slurred. It wasn't without a struggle that he rose to his feet and attempted to head for the door. "Good night, Captain Barbossa."

"Not so fast," Barbossa’s words of protest reached his ear and a pair of hands caught hold of his shoulders. "Ye're going nowhere."

Before he'd had a chance to protest, Sparrow's back hit the wall closest to the bunk and there were are pair of lips pressed to his. Instead of protesting or pulling away, however, the dark-haired pirate happily leaned into the kiss. For while this sudden act of affection had come completely without a warning, it felt too good to be true... too heavenly to stop and he'd be damned to. 

So instead, he wrapped his hand around the other's neck and pulled him closer, leaning further into the kiss in the process. Dark eyes were closed, therefore he couldn't be sure but he swore he felt the older pirate smile as he did.

His train of thoughts was cut short, pulling him back to blissful reality when he felt Hector’s lips trail along his jawline and slowly down his neck. An action that sent a shiver of down Sparrow's spine and caused him to moan softly.

Encouraged by that sound and determined to draw more from him, Barbossa’s hand found its way from Jack's shoulders down to this chest. It didn't take long for them both to undo the respective other's shirt, but neither of them could be bothered to do more about them once they had come loose. 

The unexpected turn of events and in the heat of the moment, Sparrow's body was reacting all too obviously to the other's touch; leaving him quite eager for more and longing to be touched.

"I want you, Sparrow." Hector growled as his lips brushed his ear while a hand grazed his arousal quite suggestively.

"Take me, then..." Jack sighed in response and  fumbling for the buttons of his pants, he found that the other, too, had grown quite hard already 

The last obstacles in their way, namely the pieces of fabric keeping them apart, were removed shortly after. Once they were no longer in their way and considering Jack's words from just a moment ago, Hector wasted no time.

A matter of seconds later, Sparrow found himself bent over the bed with his feet still on the planks and face buried in the soft pillow.

Smiling down at the sight of Sparrow completely at his mercy, Barbossa leaned forward to claim his lips as he gently began helping his body adjust to what was to come.

When he knew it was time, he grabbed hold of his hips and slowly pressed into him, drawing a needy groan from deep down in Sparrow’s throat. 

"Oh, fuck!" Sparrow moaned when the Captain began pushing into him while using his hand to stroke him in pace of each thrust. "...please..." 

Too touch-starved and utterly desperate for release after months at sea, it didn't take much longer for both pirates to find their finish before collapsing down on the mattress and fighting to catch their breath. 


	2. Chapter 2

Later on the same night Sparrow woke with a start. Panting heavily from the ever so present effects of his dream, it took him a moment or two to catch his breath. Trying to make sense of what was going on and where he was, dark eyes were carefully scanning his surroundings in the dim light.. Every piece of furniture, every plank, every wall was just as pitch black as the night outside.

The Black Pearl... He was in his cabin. Alone...

'Oh thank goodness!' 

It wasn't without a considerable sigh of relief that Jack plopped back on the mattress, pulling the thin blanket over his face and pressed his eyes closed.

His attempt at going back to sleep was, sadly, in vain. Utterly useless, as he came to realize soon enough, for a certain captain’s face would haunt him the moment he closed his eyes. Curious, really... In the past he had spent many nights with many wenches and yet none of them had ever affected him in such a way.

He was tired and wanted nothing more than to rest, but regardless of much he tossed and turned in bed, his mind simply wouldn't allow him to. An hour or so longer he tried before finally giving up.

'Oh bugger!' he cursed under his breath. 'One night's mistake and some five years later it's still haunting me.'

The pirate frowned when at last he rose to his feet and rubbed his heavy eyes as he made his way through the door. There was a soft breeze out on deck, but Sparrow hardly noticed it as he climbed up the ladder in the dark, utterly oblivious to the fact that he was dressed in nothing but his breeches. But he didn't mind it, not at night when the deck was deserted anyway. If anything it was a nice change to feel the cool wind on his chest and the Pearl's wooden planks beneath his bare feet, his fingers curled around her spokes as she glided through the night. It were those moments when he was one with his ship, when he was truly free... Like a sparrow flying across the sea.

"Mister Greene," he addressed his first mate at watch as he approached the helm. "You are dismissed from your duties for tonight."

"But, Captain-" the man tried to protest, but never got to finish his sentence.

"I'll take her from here," Sparrow declared.

"Are you alright?" the younger man insisted.

"Of course." he added, flashing him a smile. "Just been missing me fierce beauty, that's all."

"I see..." was his first mate's only response, and even though he said no more, Jack could almost feel the man's eyes burning into him from where he stood at his side. 

A few moments went by in silence and Sparrow had just begun to hope that Robby had retired for the night when his first mate cleared his throat again.

"Are you sure?" he asked, clearly worried. "Jack, I haven't seen you like this since Beckett-"

"Stow it, Robert!" Sparrow snapped as he cut short his friend, unwilling to let that overgrown, angry child that was their former superior anywhere near his thoughts. Not again. Not now.... "And quit asking me that, will you?! I'm fine! 

Clearly taken aback by the sudden and unexpected use of his given name, Robby's body tensed up. 

Then he nodded and awkwardly cleared his throat. "Apologies, Captain!" 

Sparrow knew the way back to the Cove by heart so he would not have needed his compass to guide him, but in his current state of anger, he found it was something to focus on instead. For Robby was his best friend and the very last thing he wanted was to say something in the heat of the moment that he'd come regret later.

"Robby, listen..." Jack frowned as he raised his eyes up from the red needle and over to his friend. "I'm sorry.... It's just... Going back to Shipwreck feels like a terribly bad idea.... like deliberately attending your own funeral."

Admittedly, that very comparison might haven seemed a little exaggerated, but in all honesty, it resembled so perfectly how he felt. He could only hope his death was going to be a short and painless one, much unlike the one Teague had certainly planned for him.

"I understand," he said, sympathetically. "You don't have to do this, you know. We could always bring her about and sail somewhere else instead. There are millions of places we could go."

"No," Jack shook his head in protest. "I've had enough of this ridiculous charade, have been lying to meself for far too long now so maybe Beckett's punishment wasn't really that, but more of a favor after all."

Only then did he pause and placed a ringed finger on his chin as he contemplated a thought in his mind. 

"Suppose I should even be thanking him next time I happen to see him."

"What? Jack, why would you -?"

"Think about it, mate. If Beckett hadn't branded me, there's a chance I would have spent the rest of me days on this earth running from the truth, from what I really am. Because as much as I despise our former superior, he was right about one thing..."

Sparrow then trailed off, making a pause for effect that, in Robby's opinion, was just a little too dramatic so his brow rose as he waited for his captain to continue.

"I'm a pirate. Always been, always will be." he added. "It's about time I embraced that fact and went back on the account. Back to the roots, as the saying goes. And with a fine ship such as her, we are going to be the most fearsome pirates to sail the Caribbean Sea. Not all the way down to rogues, but they will see her black sails on the horizon and they will fear her speed."

Robby didn't respond to his words, though the grin on his face was enough to tell that he liked that thought just as much as Sparrow did.

"All I need is a first mate worth his salt." Jack continued, in answer to which he received a silent nod from the other. 

Those plans were all very well, but first things first. Before any of that could happen, before he could go back on the account and sail the world like he used to so many years ago. Five long years he had tried to avoid this moment at any cost, yet now he had no choice. For whether he liked it or not, returning to the place he had once call his home so to clear his name was the only option he'd left.

After that he would at last be free to sail the world aboard his beloved Black Pearl, free to chase the horizon until the end of time.


	3. Chapter 3

A couple of days or so later shortly before nightfall, the Black Pearl lay at anchor just a save distance away from the Cove so many claimed was floating. Captain Sparrow had ordered his crew to drop anchor under the pretence of needing some time to establish the right course through the dangerous passange that was the 'Devil's Throat'. Besides, any attempt to sail through it at night would fail anyway.... Not the best lie he'd ever come up with but as most of the crew seemed to have bought it, he didn't bother about it.

Most men did indeed not doubt their captain's story, though there was one man currently present aboard the Pearl who was able to see past Jack's lies. Robby Greene didn't believe for a second what explanation the crew had been given.

The first mate had wanted to question Jack about his decision but not in front of the crew. Instead he had waited for the opportune moment and only upon finding his captain alone on deck shortly before dawn did he know that it had come.

There he stood at the rail, absentmindedly drumming his hands on the wood with his eyes fixed on a point far ahead on the horizon. Too absorbed in his own thoughts, Jack was oblivious to the fact that his friend had approached him.

"Jack?"

Unaware of the person standing next to him and clearly startled by the sudden and unexpected call of his name, Sparrow jumped in fright.

"For God's sake, Robby!" he gasped. "What are you -?!"

"Sorry, Captain. I didn't mean to startle you."

"Scare the heck out of me again and you'll have this beauty all to your lonesome!" Sparrow snapped.

"I told you I was sorry Jack!" the younger of the two reminded.

"Then wipe that smug grin off your face, will you?" Sparrow retorted, for even in the dim light he could make out the other one's expression just perfectly.

In response to that Robby said no more and so another couple of minutes went by in silence until the Irish man cleared his throat. The question of 'what's bothering you' was on the tip of his tongue, but he knew better than to actually voice it. Sparrow would never give him an honest answer, that he knew for certain.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked instead, his bright eyes never leaving Jack's.

"No..." was Sparrow’s honest response as dark eyes glanced down at his hands. Normally, feeling the Pearl's smooth wood under his fingertips would have done wonders to calm him, to help him to peace of mind regardless of the trouble they were facing, but not this time...

"Come on, Jack. You know your way through the Devil's Throat better than any other pirate I know. Surely you have nothing to worry about."

"Aye." Sparrow nodded. "It's not sailing through that passageway I'm worried about. What comes after that terrifies me, mate. Having to face the demons of my past's what makes me want to drink more rum than any vessel could ever hold. I hate the idea of it, and yet it's the best chance I've got to make my voice heard."

It was then that he paused for a moment or so. "Because if I run now and they happen to find me by chance, they'll never listen. They'll throw me in the brig and drag me back to Teague only to have me executed without so much as a chance for a hearing. And I can only imagine what they might do to me beloved Pearl."

"They can't do that, Jack. There's the Code of the Brethren to consider. At the very least they'd have to-" Robby had begun but was cut short before he'd make his point.

"I've assisted in the escape of known code-breakers, Robby. Young and foolish or not, that also constitutes an act of breaking the Code and that means it's his very right to punish those guilty of said crime by shooting them in the head." Sparrow explained.

"The two of you are related, though, Jack. Do you really think he'd go through with it?"

"I know he would." Jack nodded, not without a scoff. "If anything, being his own flesh and blood will make it worse for me in the end. No, he wouldn't hesitate to pull that trigger, aimed at my head or not."

"Don't say that, Captain. There's always a chance that-"

"Better not pin your hopes on that, mate. Or else you might find yourself facing a great disappointment."

"Jack,"

"I can't say what he's going to do, but I need you to promise me that, regardless of what might happen to me, you'll captain me fierce beauty in me stead."

"I promise," Robby nodded, hoping he'd never actually have to be true to his word. Perhaps the younger of the two was being naive, though to him, it was clear that Jack was being too pessimistic and clearly anticipating the worse possible outcome. Where the hell was his, sometimes ludicrous, optimism anyway?

"Good,"

"Be rest assured though, Jack. She will not set sail without her rightful captain at the helm." he vowed and in response to that, he earned himself a grin from Sparrow.

"Thanks, mate."

It must have been around noon the same day that Jack gave the order to make sail. Realizing relatively quickly that his compass wouldn't be of any help on this particular journey. He'd have to rely on his memory of the right way to pass through the Devil's Throat or give up his endeavor altogether.

***********************************

Meanwhile at Shipwreck Cove - and very unaware to Jack - Teague's men guarding the island had spotted a ship on the horizon. One with black sails, a black hull and a familiar face at her helm. Some of the men swore they spotted the Keeper's whelp steering the ship towards the Devil's Throat. And while rumors had it that the boy had died, they still stayed true to their duty of reporting coder breakers - present or approaching.

Esmeralda, among the most recent to arrive at the Cove, had seen her too, but dismissed it as nothing other than a figment of her imagination in the dim morning light. Yet she didn't fail to recognize her and the colors she was flying were unmistakable.

For the black flag showed a white skull with a red sparrow flying towards it.

_Jack_

He must have managed to escape Beckett's clutches after all, she decided.

Intending to rush down to his ship to give him a word of warning, the Spanish lady pirate soon had to realize that she was too late. For by the time she'd reached the pier, Teague and his men had already arrived there and were now waiting for the vessel's crew to set foot ashore.

Robby had been reluctant to believe what his captain had told him, but that quickly changed when he was forced to watch Jack's predictions come true. For the moment he'd reached the pier, he was indeed being grabbed by his shoulders and escorted directly to the very cell block he'd once helped a certain Frenchman escape from.

All attempts at protesting fell on deaf ears, his words of explanation completely ignored by the Keeper and not so much as a hint of emotion could be seen on his face as he shoved his whelp behind iron bars and closed the door shut behind him.


End file.
